1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to recreational gaming and more specifically to games of skill and chance requiring a number of pieces to be moved across a playing surface from one area to another area.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Games have been developed over the centuries to both entertain and to challenge. In many conventional forms of entertainment, a game board is provided that includes a fixed playing surface. Thus, game variations are provided solely by individual player movements decided by individual strategy and reactions to an opponent""s moves. Games such as chess, checkers, and backgammon exhibit such characteristics. Such games typically provide different goals such as capturing certain pieces or moving a player""s pieces from one portion of the board to another but the game board remains the same.
Another game requiring a player to move playing pieces from one side of a game board to another is Chinese Checkers. In Chinese Checkers, at least two players initially load several playing pieces across from their respective home positions in a starting arrangement. The game play involves players taking turns moving their pieces across a gaming surface full of discrete indentations one at a time. Upon being positioned immediately adjacent to another playing piece, the player whose turn it is, may execute a xe2x80x9cjumpxe2x80x9d over the adjacent game piece effectively moving more than one space at a time. By planning a strategic route a player may move the game pieces across the gaming surface to the home position faster than the opponent and thus win the game.
While a number of different strategies may be introduced, this game board and most conventional game boards present the same playing surface every time the game is played. Variations of play are solely provided by the different movements executed by the players. Thus players having better memory for winning strategies, moves, or combinations or of greater experience tend to win more often thereby frustrating less experienced players. The popularity of a game often depends on the number of variations introduced thereby avoiding undesired repetition. Thus the lack of a variable gaming surface reduces the number of variations that may be encountered during play and directly affects a game""s popularity.
One game attempting to provide some variation in the gaming surface may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,714 to Wilson. The marble game described therein includes a rectangular game board with a single central turntable having a number of marble retaining slots and a positional indicator. Players move around the periphery of the game board and may jump onto the turntable upon reaching a xe2x80x9cstep upxe2x80x9d position. Once on the turntable, players position the turntable according the number rolled on a die and also move their respective player marble the same number of pieces. Players endeavor to move all their marbles around the board and/or turntable from a start position to a home area.
One drawback of such a game is that players are restricted to moving along the periphery of the turntable and the incorporation of only one turntable provides limited variability of game play. In addition, there are a limited number of positions to jump onto the turntable and thus a player may never use the turntable if the correct number is not rolled. Such restrictions introduce limited play variation.
What is needed therefore is a game inexpensive to manufacture and including a playing surface having a variety of pathways providing obstacles to player""s movements and further providing countless variations of game play as well as adding an element of chance effecting each player""s strategy.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a game board apparatus providing a game of strategy and chance includes a game board with a playing surface having a fixed path section, a path altering section, and a plurality of discrete game piece positions spaced between a plurality of starting and finishing areas providing a variety of pathways across the playing surface. A working section includes an actuator underlying the playing surface and connected to the path altering section to change the orientation of the path altering section as determined by a random number generator. Sets of game pieces are provided for each player and are initially positioned in the starting areas. Players take turns actuating the actuator to alter the orientation of the path altering sections and moving game pieces from their respective starting positions across the fixed and path altering sections to their respective finishing positions. Play continues until one player moves all respective game pieces into the finishing area.
In one embodiment, the path altering section is in the form of a plurality of rotating discs connected to an underlying set of gears that rotate when the actuator is rotated corresponding with an indicia indicated by the random number generator.
Another feature of the game board apparatus is the provision of blocking routes whereby movement of game piece may be prohibited along certain portions of the path sections.
A method of playing a game incorporating a game board with a variable path section is also described herein and in one embodiment includes a method for initially aligning removable path altering sections.